A lawmaker in Ohio billed as the “conscience of the conservative movement” resigned after evidence surfaced of inappropriate conduct with another man in his office, according to a report.
State Rep. Wes Goodman, a first-term Republican representing Cardington, stepped down late Tuesday after meeting with House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger about the incident weeks ago in Goodman’s office that involved a male in a consensual situation, sources told the Columbus Dispatch.
Rosenberger’s office declined to release additional details on the incident, but a spokesman told the newspaper that it did not involve legislative staffers or other legislators.
“I met with him later in the day where he acknowledged and confirmed the allegations,” Rosenberger said in a statement. “It became clear that his resignation was the most important course of action for him, his family, the constituents of the 87th House District and this institution.”
No harassment complaints had been filed against Goodman, but someone with knowledge of the incident told House chief of staff Mike Dittoe of the allegations early Tuesday, according to the newspaper.
Goodman — a 33-year-old married conservative Christian whose campaign website touted his faith and said supporters regarded him as the “conscience of the conservative moment” — later acknowledged his personal “struggles” and “trials” in a statement released Wednesday. A picture on his site features a smiling Goodman with his wife, Bethany.
“We all bring our own struggles and our own trials into public life,” Goodman said. “That has been true for me, and I sincerely regret that my actions and choices have kept me from serving my constituents and our state in a way that reflects the best ideals of public service. For those whom I have let down, I’m sorry.”
Goodman, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, then asked for privacy for himself and his family as he moves “onto the next chapter” of his life.
The former lawmaker’s Twitter account was protected as of Thursday and his Facebook page had been scrubbed. His page on the Ohio House of Representatives’ website was also no longer active as of Thursday.
The state’s Republican Party chairman, Jane Timken, said she supported Goodman’s decision, saying it was the “most appropriate” course of action for the now-former lawmaker.
Goodman’s resignation comes less than a month after that of Sen. Clifford Hite, a longtime Ohio Republican who stepped down Oct. 16 after a sexual harassment claim was filed by a staffer who claimed he repeatedly asked her to have sex with him at his condo in Columbus, according to the Dispatch.